I usually solve the world’s problems whilst mowing the lawn, and today I pondered on the likely outcomes from the pandemic.
Firstly it seems to me we are going to need to rethink how we run our economy. With a large number of self employed and small business’s almost starting all over again, they’re going to need huge continuing support, as will the rise in unemployed whose employer didn’t survive the recession. Hopefully the ‘we’re all in this together’ mentality will last long enough for us all to accept the inevitable rise in taxation which will be necessary to see these people through.
Surely our whole approach to funding of the caring services will need a new approach, and again I see no alternative to Scandinavian style taxation levels to get us where we need to be. It begs the question of whether the most extreme right wing government post-war is up to such a volte-face.
I also pondered Brexit. I’m not looking to overturn the decision, but surely this would be the daftest time possible to turn our back on our biggest customer base and future market potential. A delay of at least two years, or to place ourselves on associate membership on current terms for, say, five years would be a sensible move.
Finally, the world scene. The reaction of Trump, Victor Orban, Putin, is scary, and I have little confidence of a truly international consensus, as was achieved under Gordon Brown’s leadership after the financial crash. The G7 on-line meeting proved an absolute waste of time.
So, what does everybody think?